[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between gait speed and various factors in ambulatory patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. [Subjects] Fifty ambulatory patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease who were admitted to an outpatient clinic were included in this cross-sectional study. [Methods] The Hoehn and Yahr Scale was used for measurement of the disease severity. Gait speed was measured by the 10-Meter Walk Test. Mobility status was assessed by Timed Up and Go Test. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used for evaluation of emotional state. Cognitive status was examined with the Mini-Mental State Examination. The Downton Index was used for fall risk assessment. Balance was evaluated with the Berg Balance Scale. Comorbidity was measured with the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey was completed for measurement of quality of life. [Results] The mean age was 66.7 (47-83) years. Twenty-eight (56%) patients were men. Gait speed was correlated positively with height, male gender, Mini-Mental Examination score, Berg Balance Scale score and physical summary scores of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. On the other hand, there was a negative correlation between gait speed and age, disease severity, TUG time, Downton Index, fear of falling, previous falls and the anxiety and depression scores of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. There was no correlation between gait speed and comorbidity. [Conclusion] The factors related with the slower gait speed are, elder age, clinically advanced disease, poor mobility, fear of falling, falling history, higher falling risk, and mood disorder.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the cognitive impairment on functional status in patients with subacute stroke. Fifty-two patients with subacute stroke were included in the study. Mini mental state examination (MMSE) test was used for the evaluation of cognitive status. Patients were separated into two groups according to their cognitive functions. Functional follow-up parameters were activities of daily living (ADL), global recovery and ambulation status. All patients were evaluated on admission to rehabilitation unit, at discharge and 6 months after discharge. Forty-four patients were completed the study. Mean age was 66 and 57 years; disease duration on admission was 4,8 and 3,5 months in the cognitively impaired and normal groups, respectively. Significant improvement was found in terms of functional follow-up parameters in both groups at discharge . Functional follow-up parameters did not show statistically significant difference between the groups. But community ambulation rate was higher in cognitively normal group at the sixth month visit. As a result of this study, inpatient rehabilitation was effective both cognitively normal and impaired subacute stroke patients.

This study aims to evaluate the recurrence rate after reconstruction of the pressure ulcer (PU) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) treated by a team consisted of plastic surgery and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists. Between February 2002 and December 2008, a total of 39 patients with SCI (32 males, 7 females; mean age 38.1±6.7 years; range, 19 to 71 years) aged ≥18 years who were admitted to our rehabilitation unit and operated for PU were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data and physical examination findings and potential risk factors for recurrence of PU were recorded. All patients were followed for the PU recurrence after reconstruction. The recurrence of PU was observed in nine patients (23.1%) with SCI. The most common recurrent PU was sacral ulcer (82.1%), followed by ischial ulcers (20.5%), trochanteric ulcers (15.4%), and others (2.6%). No risk factor was found to be statistically significant between the two groups in terms of both demographic risk factors and clinical risk factors. No statistically significant effect of clinical and demographic risk factors was found on the risk of recurrence of PU. Our study results suggest that collaboration between plastic surgery and physical medicine and rehabilitation department with a strict follow-up protocol may help to prevent recurrences of PU after surgery in SCI patients.

BACKGROUND: Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale is a well known tool to evaluate the functional balance. Balance impairment may accompany to knee osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the reliability and validity of the